Integrated PCM driver
AssigneepSemi Corporation
InventorsJeffrey A. Dykstra, Jaroslaw Adamski, Edward Nicholas Comfoltey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices to control PCM switches are disclosed. The described devices include PCM switch drivers and logic and control circuits, all integrated with the PCM and the associated heater on the same chip. Various architectures for the driver are also presented, including architectures implement feedback mechanism to mitigate variations from process, temperature, and supply voltage.
Claims15
A PCM driving arrangement for programming a state of a phase change material (PCM) switch, comprising:
- a PCM switch comprising a heater and a volume of phase-change material coupled to the heater;
- a driver circuit connected to the heater and configured to provide, to the heater, a first electrical pulse profile or a second electrical pulse profile, depending on a desired state to which the PCM switch is to be programmed;
- and
- a logic and control circuit coupled to the driver and configured to program the PCM switch by providing:
- a first control pulse to the driver when the PCM switch is to be programmed in an ON state in correspondence to the first electrical pulse profile, and
- a second control pulse to the driver when the PCM switch is to be programmed in an OFF state in correspondence to the second electrical pulse profile,
- wherein
- the driver circuit is configured to drive the heater by providing:
- a first driver pulse in correspondence with the first control pulse, the first driver pulse having a first driver pulse amplitude and a first driver pulse width corresponding to a first time interval, and
- a second driver pulse in correspondence with the second control pulse, the second driver pulse having a second driver pulse amplitude and a second driver pulse width corresponding to a second time interval,
- the second driver pulse amplitude is greater than the first driver pulse amplitude,
- the second driver pulse width is shorter than the first driver pulse width, and
- the PCM switch, the driver and the logic and control circuit are on the same chip.
A driving arrangement for a phase-change material (PCM) switch stack, comprising:
- a plurality of PCM switches, each comprising a heater and a volume of PCM, the PCM switches arranged in a stacked configuration;
- a plurality of drivers each configured to drive a corresponding PCM switch of the plurality of PCM switches and provide, to a corresponding heater, a first electrical pulse profile or a second electrical pulse profile, depending on a desired state to which the corresponding PCM switch is to be programmed;
- and
- a logic and control module configured to drive the plurality of drivers in separate time intervals, one or more drivers at a time,
- wherein, for each time interval, the logic and control module is configured to program the corresponding PCM switch by providing:
- a first control pulse to a corresponding driver when the corresponding PCM switch is to be programmed in an ON state in correspondence of the first electrical pulse profile, and
- a second control pulse to the corresponding driver when the corresponding PCM switch is to be programmed in an OFF state in correspondence of the second electrical pulse profile.
A method of programming a state of a phase change material (PCM) switch, the PCM switch comprising a heater and a volume of a PCM, the method comprising:
- providing a driver circuit;
- integrating the driver and the PCM switch on the same chip;
- applying a first control pulse to the driver circuit when the PCM switch is to be programmed in an ON state;
- applying a second control pulse to the driver when the PCM switch is to be programmed on an OFF state;
- through the driver circuit, applying a first driver pulse, in correspondence with the first control pulse, to the PCM switch;
- through the driver circuit, applying a second driver pulse, in correspondence with the second control pulse, to the PCM switch, and
- wherein:
- an amplitude of second control pulse is greater than an amplitude of the first control pulse, and
- a width of the second control pulse is shorter than a width of the first control pulse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.